James ‘Whitey’ Bulger Defends Himself in New Documentary

During his trial, alleged mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger decided not to testify on his own behalf, calling the proceedings a “sham.” But in the new documentary “Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger,” directed by Joe Berlinger, Bulger defends himself against charges that he was a longtime FBI informant and that he killed two women.

Bulger was convicted of a racketeering indictment that included involvement in 11 murders, and controlling a web of drug-dealing, extortion, money-laundering and gun-running from the 1970s to the 1990s. He was missing for 16 years before he was arrested in 2011. In November, he was sentenced to two life terms plus five years in prison.

In the film, Bulger’s voice is heard in recorded phone conversations that he had with his defense attorney, J. W. Carney Jr. The documentary, which premiered this week at the Sundance Film Festival, shows Carney directly asking Bulger if he was ever an informant. Bulger can be heard saying “I never, never, never cracked,” and lists examples from his past when he refused to give names under pressure.